New England Patriots Cheating Scandal Leaves Questions About the Eagles Superbowl XXIX Game Loss

The Patriots under suspicion for cheating, say it ain't so! 

• The NFL has seized tapes
• Belichick has issued an apology
• Goodell has determined the Pats broke the rules
  • Is it for video taping and stealing signals?
  • Is it for deliberate "communication" issues at Foxboro?
• Anonymous members of the Goodell's investigation team have indicated the investigation has been under way for a while now
• Various players from around the league have been very vocal about the cheating (both signals and communication issues) that has going on for years under Belichick's tenure
• And discussing how it crosses ethical lines.

So now, all of us Eagles fans are sitting here wondering, could this have affected the outcome of Super Bowl XXIX?  Even though my gut says "no", there's still this nagging bit of wonder and a ton of "What Ifs".  I'm sure a lot of the teams that met up with the Patriots in their SuperBowl and Playoff match ups are wondering the same thing. 

Everyone, no doubt is questioning the "greatness" of their dynasty now and just how tainted Tom Brady is, as the receiver of a lot of this information.  There's no doubt that few will believe that Brady didn't know about how the method of how the signals were obtained.  Perhaps someone should interview Drew Bledsoe, too?

At this point in time, the Patriots could become the more hated team above the Dallas Cowboys in Philadelphia.  Eagles fans are rabid, and don't like to be cheated, and this scandal just wreaks of nothing but cheating to win.  There is no doubt a lot of fans will now believe "our birds" were robbed.  It makes you wonder what T.O. might even say about it - will he change his tune from blaming D-Mac to now blaming Belichick's cheating scheme?

Whatever the case, it really makes an Eagles fan wonder, did they have our defense calls too?  If they did, they surely used them.  If they used them, then weren't the Eagles robbed, just as the Steelers were?  We only lost by 3 points in the Super Bowl, isn't it realistically possible that cheating won the Patriots that Vince Lombardi trophy that year?

What's your take?  Got an opinion, I'd love to hear it!

Comments

[Aristotle]

As a football fan, you have to be honest with yourself: Video taping, per se, is perfectly legal and EVERY team does it. The rules say where you can’t record from: the field and the coaches areas–and where you can–anyplace with a roof and walls. The truth is you can video tape in the NFL–just not anywhere you like. This is not cheating, which is the shorthand dump partisans promulgate. Bill was pushing the limits, he knew it, and he should be fined. Not villified. If you don’t think video taping the games for signals, formations and anything else–which goes on every game everywhere–than ban videotaping altogether. Don’t make Belichick out to be a cheater; what’s the cheat? His man was in a nondesignated area? That’s all you got? The truth is, Belichick was ratted out by a former employee looking for HIS own advantage and the NFL monkey-pile continues because the Patriots are so damn good and others are so damn envious. Nobody gets this animated over mediocre teams, only great ones.
You know the truth in your heart. Sorry.

[Li Evans]

Wow, Aritotle are you on a crusade for Bill?

The guy cheated, you are not allowed, by NFL regulations, to video tape the opposing team's signals. This is blatantly against the rules, and it's exactly what they got fined for - it's also why Goodell just called for ALL of the tapes that the Pats ever made.

The truth is - the Patriots head coach lead up this whole brigade of cheating and has been doing it for years. No one will every really know if they were a great team by great talent and coaching, or just a mediocre team who got ahead by cheating and stealing the other teams' signals.

Sorry Aristotle!